Belt conveyer cleaner



Oct. l0, 1950 E. M. GLASS 2,525,348

.BELT coNvEYER CLEANER Filed sept. 2o, 1946 2. sheets-shea? 1 FIN A I x@IQ,

INVENTOR.

W ll( ATTORNEYS.

Edf/M 6705s BY MW Oct. l0, 1950 E M, GLASS 2,525,348

BELT CONVEYER CLEANER Filed Sept. 2O, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jy. 4 K55JNVENToR.

Waff/jl. 6705s H ZM/Ma@ Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIC 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a cooling machine for doughnuts and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a doughnut cooler,including endless conveying means which are washed and dryed during eachcycle of operation of the machine, and therefore maintained in asanitary condition at all times. v

A further object is to provide a cooling machine for doughnuts, and thelike, in which the conveying means are driven from a variable speedreduction unit, thereby affording variations in the cooling time.

A further object is to provide a cooling machine, in which it isunnecessary to disassemble the conveying means at each cleaning of thesame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a doughnut coolingmachine which is highly sanitary, and in which the doughnuts need not betouched by hand at any time during the cooling operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line I I of Figure 2,parts in elevation,

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 2--2 of Figurel, parts in elevation,

AFigure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation taken on line 3--3 of Figure2, and,

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the nozzles removed, parts sectioned.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration, is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates arectangular casing, including sides 'I and 3, ends 9, a bottom it, and atop cover I I. The casing 6 is provided with a horizontal rectangularpartition I2, spaced above the bottom I6, and also with spaced verticalpartitions I3, for forming with the partition I2, bottom IG, sides I and8, and ends 9, end hot water tanks I4'.

Arranged within the tanks I4 are steam or hot water heating coils I5,having inlet and outlet branches I5 and Il, having inlet and outletpipes I8 and I9.

suitably rigidly secured to the top cover II, and vertically inclinedwith respect thereto, and arranged within an elongated transverseopening formed in the cover I I, is an inlet baiile 2I.

2 The opening 20 and the baiiie 2i extend transversely, forsubstantially the entire width of the casing 6.

Arranged within thel casing 5 are pairs of vertically spaced rolls 22and 23, near the ends 5 of the casing. The pairs of rolls 22 and 23 arevertically spaced and arranged in vertical alignment. The pairs of rolls22 are vertically staggered in relation to the pairs of rolls Arrangednear and inwardly from the pairs of rolls 22 and 23, are vertical groupslof vertically spaced rolls 2li and 25, Each of the rolls 2li and 25 isspaced vertically equidistantly from the rolls of each adjacent pair 22and 23.

Arranged near and spaced outwardly from and slightly above the uppermostpair of rolls 22, is a single roll 26, Arranged near and spaced beneaththe lowermost pair of rolls 22, is a single roll 2l. Arranged near andspaced outwardly from and slightly above the uppermost pair of rolls 23,is a single roll 28. Arranged above the roll 28 and in alignment withthe roll 25 and the pairs of rolls 25, is a single roll 29. Arrangednear and spaced outwardly from and slightly below the lowermostpair ofrolls '23, is a single roll 30. Arranged inwardly from the roll andslightly below the same, and in alignment with the rolls 25 is a singleroll 3 I. Arranged centrally within the tanks III are drive rolls 532and All of the above mentioned horizontal rolls are suitably mountedupon' the sides l and. t of the casing 6.

Arranged within the casing t are two endless flexible foraminousconveyor belts 35 and 35, which are preferably formed of suitablestainless steel wire mesh.

The endless belt' 31% passes about the drive roll 32, through anfopeningformed in the partition I2,'over the roll 25, about the roll 2S, aboutthe uppermost pair of rolls 22, about the uppermost roll 25, about thesecond uppermost pair oi rolls 22, about the second uppermost roll aboutthe third uppermost pair of rolls 22, about the third uppermost roll 25,about the fourth uppermost pair of rolls 22, about the lowermost roll25, about the lowermost pair of rolls 22, about the roll 3l about theroll 2l', and through an opening formed in the partition I2. The endlessbelt 34, in passing about these rolls, forms a vertical upwardly movingrun S5, and horizontal runs Si, 38, 39, iil, Il and @2, all of whichmove horizontally to the right, in Figure l of the drawings.

The endless belt 35 passes about the drive roll 33, through an openingformed in the partition I2, over the roll 28, about the uppermost rollZii,

about the uppermost pair of rolls 23, about the second uppermost roll24, about the second uppermost pair of rolls 23, about the thirduppermost roll 24, about the third uppermost pair of rolls 23, about thefourth uppermost roll 24, about the lowermost pair of rolls '23, aboutthe lowermost roll 24. about the roll 38, and through an opening formedin the partition I2. The endless belt 3'5, in passing about these rolls,forms a vertical upwardly moving run 43, and horizontal runs 44, 45, 46,41, and 48, all of which move horizontally to the left in Figure 1 ofthe drawings.

It can thus be seen, that the horizontal runs of the endless belts 34and 35, just described, travel in opposite horizontal directions, anddue to the arrangement of rolls, the oppositely horizontally moving runsof the two endless belts are horizontally staggered. The horizontal runswhich pass about the rolls 24 are spaced vertically between thehorizontal runs which pass about the pairs of rolls 22; while thehorizontal runs which |pass about the rolls 25, are spaced verticallybetween the horizontal runs which pass about the `pairs of rolls 23.

Rigidly secured within the casing 6, are vertical groups of verticallyspaced and vertically inclined baffles '49 and 50. The inclined bales 49are adjacent to the forward or discharge ends of the horizontally movingruns 4'4, 45, 46, 4l, and 48, while the inclined baffles 50 are adjacentto the discharge ends of the horizontally moving runs 3l, 38, 39, 4'0,and 4|. The lower ends of the bafes 49 extend slightly beneath the rolls24, and the lower ends of the b-afes 50 extend slightly beneath therolls 25 and the roll 29.

Arranged slightly beneath the roll 3|, and adjacent to the discharge endof the horizontal run 42 is an endless horizontal take-off 4conveyorbelt 5 l, passing about a short horizontal roll '52, suitably mountedwithin the casing 6. The conveyor lbelt 5| is preferably formed ofstainless steel wire mesh, and extends horizontally transversely of theendless belts 34 and 35, near one end 9 of the casing 6. The endlessbelt 5| has upper and lower runs which pass through an opening 53 in theside 8, and which pass about a drive roll, suitably arranged outside ofthe machine, and not shown in the drawings.

Rigidly secured to the sides and 8 of the casing 6, are horizontal airnozzles 55, disposed outwardly of and near the vertical runs 35 and 43,to dry the same after passing from the hot water tanks |4. One end ofeach nozzle 55 is closed, while its opposite end is provided with an airinlet extension 56, which leads into an air fran box 5l. Air is suppliedto each fan box, under suitable pressure, by a rotary fan 58, driven byany suitable means. Disposed inwardly of and adjacent to the verticalruns 36 and 43, are vertical stationary bxaflles 59, disposed oppositethe nozzles 55. Both the nozzles 55, and the baffles 59 extendthroughout substantially the entire width of the endless belts 34 and35.

The numeral 68 designates a motor which drives a variable speedreduction unit 6|, which drives a main transverse drive shaft 62,carrying a pulley 63. This pulley is engaged `by lbelts 64' and 65. Thebelt 64 engages a pulley 66, which drives the shaft 61 of the drive roll32. The belt 65 drives a pulley 68, driving a gear 69, driving areversing gear l0, which drives the shaft of the drive roll 33.

The operation of the doughnut cooling rna- :i5

chine is as follows:

Doughnuts, or the like, slide down the inlet baille 2|, through theopening 20 and onto the upper run 3'| of the endless conveyor belt 34.These doughnuts reach the end of the upper run 3l, and are dischargedonto the upper inclined bafe 50 and onto the upper run 44 of the endlessconveyor belt 35. The doughnuts are progressively carried by and droppedor discharged from the horizontal runs 4'4, 38, `45, 39, 46, 40, 41, 4|,4'8, and 42, during which process the cooling of the doughnuts takesplace. The doughnuts are discharged from the horizontal run 42, onto thetake-off conveyor belt 5|, which conveys them outside of the machine,where they may be collected.

The endless belts 34 and 35 pass continuously through, and are subjectedtothe washing action of the hot water in the tanks |4. This water isheated by steam or hot water in the coils As the endless belts 34 and 35pass out of the tanks I4, they pass the transverse elongated air nozzles55, which subject them to an air `blast to dry them, and remove anyremaining particles of grease, or any crumbs still adhering. Thiscontinuous Washing land drying operation maintains the stainless steelbelts in a sanitary condition at all times. The air blast from thenozzles 55 strikes the stationary baffles 59, and creates air turbulencewithin the casing 6, thus aiding in the cooling of the doughnuts. Thestainless steel wire mesh conveyor belts do not tend to rust or corrodedue to the continuous washing.

Through the variable speed reduction unit 6|, the cooling time for thedoughnuts may be adjusted and varied.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A doughnut cooling machine, comprising a casing, hot Water tanksarranged within the casing near its bottom and opposite ends, driverolls arranged within the hot Water tanks, spacedsubstantiallyfhorizontal rolls'mounted within the casing above the hotwater tanks, flexible conveyor belts passing about the drive rolls andabout the spaced rolls ,and including vertically spaced horizontallystaggered runs moving in yopposite directions, and air nozzles mountedWithin the casing near and above the hot water tanks for drying theflexible conveyor belts as Vthey pass from the tanks.

2. A doughnut cooling machine, comprising a casing including spaced-partitions forming hot Water tanks near the bottom and opposite ends ofthe casing, heating coils associated with the lcasing and arnangedwithin the tanks, drive rolls mounted within the tanks, spaced rollsmounted within the casing and arranged above the tanks, endlessforaminous belts passing about said drive rolls and said spaced rollsand including horizontally staggered oppositely moving runs, inclinedbaflles adjacent to the discharge ends of the runs, a take-off conveyoradjacent to the discharge end of the lowermost run and arrangedtransversely of the endless foraminous belts, and air nozzles carried bythe casing and arranged near and above the tanksY for drying the endlessforaminous belts as they pass from the tanks.

3. A cooling machine for doughnuts, `comprising a casing having an inletopening, hot Water tanks Within the casing and near the bottom of thesame, heating coils arranged within the hot Water tanks, drive rollsmounted Within the hot Water tanks, variable speed driving means for thedrive rolls and arranged outside of the casing, spaced rolls mountedwithin the casing and arranged above the tanks, endless flexibleforalrninous conveyor elements passing about the drive rolls and aboutthe spaced rolls and including oppositely moving vertically spacedhorizontal runs, inclined bafes adjacent to the discharge ends of thespaced horizontal runs, take-off conveyor means adjacent to thedischarge end of the lowermost horizontal run and passing outside of thecasing, elongated air nozzles mounted Within the casing adjacent to theendless con -Veyor elements and near the tanks and adapted for dryingthe endless conveyor elements as they pass from the tanks, and fansassociated with the casing for supplying air to the nozzles.

EARL M. GLASS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis .patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 764,435 Donaldsonet al July 5, 1904 1,578,617 Van Houten Mar. 30, 1926 2,289,753 fCopstol July 14, 1942

